Alice's Restaurant Comes to Antwerp

We have a weakness for stylishly ragtag cafes and are happy to see them proliferating, from Upstate, NY , to Paris to Tokyo . At our latest find, Tinsel, in Antwerp, there's nothing the least bit glittery on display—and that's why it's so appealing. Owner and cook Tine Lejeune spent four years working for the previous establishment's owners, before taking over the spot and doing things her way.
Above: Tinsel is located in the southern section of the city (conveniently close to museums) and occupies what had been Farine. After Tine came up with a name for her establishment, her boyfriend, Sander de Mol , supplied the graphic design, starting with the window sign.
Above: Tine worked with Belgian interior designer Michiel Mertens of Going East to give her cafe its clean-lined, homey vibe. The communal wood table is paired with vintage chairs on one side and bench seating on the other.
Above: A crucial ingredient: homemade flower arrangements and a touch of greenery. The wood shelving with metal brackets is a rustic version of the glass and metal shelving over the counter.
Above: The cafe's own silkscreened totes and a chalkboard For Sale sign hang from string.
Above: An alcove on a small terrace with a fresco-like stripped wall. A devotee of the cafe called it "equal parts cozy and hipster handmade."
Above: White margaritas pair well with painted bentwood.
Above: A marble-topped cafe table and vintage chairs that likely came from a school. For a modern version of the seats, see Belgian company Zangra's stackable School Chairs .
Above: A casual but well-designed identity: Tinsel's guest check and business card.
Above: An arrangement with height adds life to a corner. For a faux branch display good enough to fool the experts, read Julie's Design Sleuth: Eternal Olive Branches .
Tinsel is at 40 Vlaamse Kaai in Antwerp (it occupies a spot formerly called Farine).
Consult our Antwerp City Guide for more of our finds, including the Ultimate High/Low Housewares Store and the Most Memorable B&B . On Gardenista, take a tour of Antwerp's Radical Urban Gardens .
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